The Devil Is Far Worse to Look At- Part VII: A Series of Conversations
by Nothing Really Specific
Summary: FINALE. Reepicheep has a literal (pardon the pun) life and death conversation with Death (yes, the Grim Reaper). Note: Tissues recommended. Rated M: Intense Moments of Decision, Grief, Suggestive Themes, Mild Language.


**The Devil Is Far Worse to Look At **

* * *

**Part VII: "_A Series of Conversations"_**

**-FINALE-**

* * *

_"Reepicheep, you have to save me."_

Edmund called to him in his sleep.

_"Reepicheep, I can't hold on any longer. You have to save me!" _

The mouse opened his eyes and felt unnaturally cold.

"One would think death is upon me, it's freezing in here!"

He pulled his blanket over and tossed a bit, trying to get some sleep.

_"Reepicheep."_

"Who's there?" The mouse asked. He sat up and looked around, seeing nothing.

"I wilt be hearing things." Reepicheep said and closed his eyes again.

He slept.

Three hours later, a finger cold as winter ran up his spine. He opened his eyes and lay there motionless.

"Whoev'r is hither they hast mine attention. Now what be your business?" He turned himself over and looked Death straight in the face.

"W-what are you-"

Death made no sound, he exited the room and headed towards the deck. Reepicheep followed, grabbing his sword on the way out.

"Alright what is it you want?" Reepicheep asked the specter again once they were above quarters.

Death said nothing, he walked towards the railing and without thinking picked the mouse up.

"Unhand me right now or I'll-"

Death didn't let him finish, instead, he just threw Reepicheep out towards the sea and disappeared.

* * *

Once again, the mouse found himself in water.

_Like before I'm being bogged down. I wonder if I'll actually die this time._

The mouse looked over, his lungs slowly filling with water at this point, and saw Death, standing there in front of him. The reaper opened his mouth and inhaled- creating an air pocket. Reepicheep stabilized himself and discovered that Death was creating an invisible floor.

"You wish to show me something?" Reepicheep asked.

Death stood silent but stood to the side, revealing Edmund.

He was alive, but just barely. His right leg was cut off, the head badly bruised, and the right ear was gone. Edmund looked out, saw the mouse and smiled:

"I thought you'd be dead by now. Diving in again and out again."

"Amusing." Reepicheep said with a bit of sarcasm.

"I'm glad you tried though, it's a rarity to have loyal friends." Edmund said

Reepicheep nodded and advanced slowly, keeping a keen eye on Death. "Has this, _gentleman,_ been sustaining you?"

"Oh, Death, yes he has. He's actually quite nice once you get to know them."

"Yes for someone who stays silent," Reepicheep said, "I'd wager he's very cordial."

His tail swayed back and forth. His eyes kept looking back at the Dark Malevolence, trying to search for the logical reasoning of his involvement.

"Dearest apologizes about the leg. Call me overzealous."

"Overzealous."

Reepicheep smiled, "I see you've developed a sense of humor."

"And you a sense of caution. What's the matter, you're all- tense."

"Your Majesty, I'm tense (as you so put it) because Death is literally staring you in the face!"

Death moved his hand outward, the mouse pulled his sword and looked him in the eye.

"I've seen the devil, believe me he's far worse to look at."

Death resumed his former position.

"He's just being protective." Edmund said.

"Now you're talking ridiculous." Reepicheep replied looking back at him, "You seriously believe that Death, _Death_ mind you, is being an abettor for you?"

"Yes."

Reepicheep looked at Edmund's eyes- they were black bottomless holes, as if decay had already taken them.

"I've been talking to a cadaver, how wonderful." Reepicheep said with sarcasm. "So if he's dead, then that means that-"

"He's not dead."

"I beg your pardon?" Reepicheep asked turning towards Death, "Did you say something?"

Death nodded. "He's not dead."

"If he's not dead and he's not himself then where or better yet _whom_ is he?"

"He's himself and where he is, well, you're standing in his grave." Death said.

"What do you ask me of so I can find him?" Reepicheep asked.

"You would risk your life for him?"

"Yes, I can say that for them all. Without a question or quarrel in my mind."

"You would kill for him?" Death asked.

"Any man who stands against them." Reepicheep said.

"In order to save Edmund," Death said, "then you must kill another. Life for life."

"Who?"

"Lucy Pevensie."

Reepicheep shook his head, "I could never force myself to do that."

"If you don't then Edmund dies."

"Then he dies." Reepicheep said. "At least he goes with honor and respect."

"You'll be risking everyone else's lives if you don't."

"I'd rather see them all die then." Reepicheep said.

"You'd rather have me kill everyone than for you to kill one and me spare the rest?" Death asked a bit confused.

"Yes, if we go down, then we go down together as family."

"Some family you are." Death said with a laugh.

"Don't you dare mock my kin in such a way!" The mouse shouted, bring the tip of his blade to Death's cloak. "They are _my _brothers, _my_ sisters, _my_ fathers, _my_ sons, they're _mine_! If you take them then you take me. If you break them, then I am frail. I refuse to kill her and that's my final word but if I see you perform it, if she be dead by your bloody scythe, then know I will curse and peruse you 'til time ends. For thou unfit for any place but hell!"

"Oh, Shakespeare are we?" Death said with a chuckle.

"Richard III," Reepicheep corrected, "surprised someone as dimwitted and fetid as you has heard of him."

"Surprised someone as bothersome and brash as you has heard of him."

"Introduced by a friend," the mouse said, "now if you'll excuse me, I have another business to attend to."

Reepicheep stabbed Death in what he perceived to be the ankle but the mouse quickly noticed that his entire arm just went through him as if Death were transparent.

Death laughed, "I'll race you to the surface. You win, I'll give you a slightly longer life."

"And if I lose?"

"Then you die." Death said.

Reepicheep nodded, agreeing informally to the terms. He looked back at Edmund and sighed: "I'm sorry Sire, it has been a pleasure serving you." He saluted.

"I'll give you a ten second head start." Death said. "Starting as soon as the air pocket dissapears."

The air pocket disappeared. Reepicheep quickly swam up, he was almost home free when he realized that he was stopped.

_Oh, so that's your game is it?_

Death behaved like a torpedo. The mouse had to think quickly and logically.

_He's holding me down three inches from the surface. He's speeding towards me and my head start is gone. Think for a moment. What's the one thing he loves more than himself? _

Reepicheep stopped moving and held his breath.

Death came up to him and was confused why the mouse wasn't praying for his life or reciting his will. He rolled his eyes and released him.

"What's the point of doing your job if no one suffers?" Death said to himself.

* * *

Reepicheep scrambled to the deck and literally kissed it.

"Oh glorious wood, how thankful I am that you are still here and that nightmare is over!"

Not exactly." Death said who stood before him.

Reepicheep stood up slowly, "So you are serious about this then?"

Death nodded, "I am, and if you won't then I will."

The specter turned and made his way to the quarters.

Reepicheep ran past Death on all fours, jumped, clearing all the stairs and without losing momentum, alerted the crew quickly and loudly as he could making his way towards Lucy's room:

"Bulwarks, assassin in the midst, to arms!"

The crew got up as quick as they could and readied themselves but did so in confusion.

"What's going on?" One of them asked.

"I don't know, Reepicheep just came through here yelling something about an assassin or something."

Reepicheep entered the room, forgetting his manners at the moment and beheld the power of Death.

"Reepicheep," Lucy said, looking at him fearfully, "help me please!"

Death had her in a choke hold and lifted her up in the air. He squeezed harder with each passing second.

Reepicheep lunged forward hurling himself through the air and doing everything he could but failed miserably.

Footsteps approached.

"What's going on?" It was Caspian with sword in hand.

Death looked up and smiled, "Oh, if it isn't my old friend."

He summoned a knife and handed it to Lucy. Death eased his grip.

"What are you going to do?" Lucy asked.

"Nothing," Reepicheep replied, who was in front of her now, "if he does then he ironically dies."

"Amusing." Death said.

"I developed a sense of humor!" The mouse jumped in the air and stabbed Death in the back.

Death let go of Lucy and removed Reepicheep's sword, mouse included from his back.

"You are one hell of a pain." Death said laughing as he said this.

"Amusing." Reepicheep replied.

"I've developed sense of humor." Death said and threw the mouse hard against the wall.

Caspian entered and slowly advanced.

Death outstretched his hand. Caspian stopped moving.

The specter looked towards Reepicheep. The mouse stood up.

"If you think that you're going to-" Reepicheep started to say.

"Oh, I plan on it." Death said with a smile.

Caspian, Reepicheep, Lucy, and the rest of the crew raised their arms. They all had weapons in hand.

"You said that you would rather see them die now. That if you go down, that you went down together as family. I'm sure this isn't what you had in mind but, I'm willing to give you one last chance." Death said.

He walked over towards the mouse and leaned in, just as everyone in a quick motion pointed the tips of their swords, maces, and whatever else at their torsos- seppuku.

"You kill yourself and I'll spare them a few more seconds."

"Why do you want me dead?" Reepicheep asked.

"It's fun when you have opposition," Death said, "but there comes a time when you have to weed some of them out. You give them a bit of hope, something to look forward to in the morning. That doesn't necessarily work for me. So, you kill yourself now and they die, or you all die together- as a family, just like you want."

"But it isn't about what I want." Reepicheep said. He looked around the room slowly.

"Don't do it!" Lucy cried out.

"I'm afraid that wasn't an option, Your Majesty."

"No you idiot," Caspian said, "we'll all go out together, you don't deserve to-"

"But you deserve to live Sire." Reepicheep said, "It may be a few seconds more but you deserve them. You all do. Who am I to cause us all to have a simultaneous execution? I'm nothing more than a mouse."

"You saved my life." Caspian replied, "I'd say you're just a little bit more than a mouse. I'd say you're a King. Foolish of me to think I was one."

"You're going to make me cry Sire." Reepicheep said with a smile.

Caspian laughed. "Amusing."

"I've developed a sense of humor." Reepicheep said. He turned to Lucy:

"Chin up there! At least we're all in the same boat. Pardon the pun, but it's true. We all have knives up against our throats thanks to this sadistic little asshole."

"Thank you for the compliment." Death said.

"You can fuck yourself." Reepicheep replied, "Still waiting for me to give myself up?"

"Yes." Death replied, "I can play the waiting game, but you're testing my patience."

"You have thin tolerance for it then." Reepicheep said feeling his blade slowly stabbing him.

"You know," the mouse said, "I was just beginning to wonder, what is it underneath that hood of yours?"

"None of your business." Death said.

"Is Death afraid of insults?" Reepicheep asked.

"No, but he is afraid of his appearance."

"Pity." The mouse said, "Is it because you're so repulsive that you yourself _hate_ yourself?" He asked, the blade making him bleed a little.

"I don't hate myself!"

"You must hate someone if you wish to kill us all. Who could that possibly be?" Reepicheep said rolling his eyes and laughing.

"If you think it's that lion then you're wrong."

"I think," Reepicheep said, as he broke his flesh and entered some muscle. He grunted and flinched. A tear fell. "That you are! You used to be his prize didn't you?"

"Wrong person." Death said. "That's Tash, I'm-"

"His _son?_" Reepicheep asked. The pain was growing, he was getting weaker, and weaker, and he knew that he was dying.

"You answered correctly." Death said.

"So," the mouse fell on his knees and gasped for breath, "you're...the..Beelzebub of the situation aren't you?"

"Stop it!" Lucy cried in fear.

"It's too late Lucy." Caspian said, "He's going."

Death laughed, "That's right rat, that's me, good old Beelzebub."

"I'm...a...mouse...you arrogant...bastard."

Death nodded. "My apologizes, but you're taking too long. Tell you what, I'll do this instead."

He took a breath and slowly, the rodent's strength was returning and his movements went backwards. Everything was reversing.

"Better to have an opposition?" Reepicheep asked.

"Better to have an interesting opposition, besides, seeing you die made me sad. Me. That's saying a lot."

"I don't know if that was a compliment or not."

The wounds, the muscles were healed and Reepicheep was given control of himself again.

Caspian and Lucy looked at each other then at Reepicheep who said simply: "Gramercy."

It was over after that. The crew died slowly. Reepicheep closed his eyes and wept.

When the pleads for mercy and last words were over, Death left Reepicheep to himself.

"I told you that if you were to hurt them then I will curse and peruse you 'til time ends. I'm sure this isn't what you had in mind but, I'm willing to give you one last chance" The mouse said.

"Ten second head start?" Death asked.

Reepicheep opened his eyes. "Five."

"Five, but that's-"

"Start running! One...two...three...four..."

* * *

**FIN**


End file.
